Axelle, Bri, and Roxanne continue to loom over the hole the Guardian Beast is trapped in discussing a plan to defeat it.
"That's it? That's how you intend to beat a Guardian Beast?" Roxanne questions Bri.
"It's worth a shot nothing else seems to be working. Plus it won't cause any harm to the others" Bri speaks.
Roxanne looks at Bri and looks back into the hole in the ground.
"Let's give it a try. What do we have to lose? We finally got this thing trapped in the ground where it can't do any damage to us. Worst comes to worst, we leave it there and find an exit to the tree ourselves," Axelle says, preparing to launch an attack at the trapped Guardian Beast.
"Alright," Roxanne says.
Ambrose rests on a nearby rock as he takes a short break. "That was a nice little workout to get the blood flowing. How is everyone else doing?" He then stands up and continues to do stretches just moments after he rested.
"Am doing fine Ambrose just a little dip in my mana" Sadie responds.
"Couple scratches here and there but am overall good. However, my mana has been taken out." Vince responds.
"Mines as well" Elara states.
"Well, I understand yours you did a whole gigantic light show with your magic there," Vince comments.
"It was spectacular marvelous magic" Ambrose speaks.
"Very beautiful" Sadie comments.
"I appreciate all of your pleasant compliments. Especially coming from the son of the War Hero-"
"AMBROSE ROSSI" Kate interrupts Elara as she speaks. She jolts right over to Ambrose. She grabs Ambrose's hands and clamps it with hers "I've heard so much about you. I didn't have that much to conversate or look at you as we were all focused on fighting that Guardian Beast plus we were on opposite sides of it"
"Thank you for knowing of me," Ambrose says with a smile as he glances over at Roxanne, Bri, and Axelle" He stares a them with Axelle and Bris back facing towards him with Roxanne facing directly at him. She looks at him for a brief second as they make eye contact for a moment. Ambrose averts his sight from hers.
"Your magic ability is so cool. How does your sword and ability work? Can you combine two of them in one? Can you create armor?"
Ambrose smiles as he gets overwhelmed by the questions Kate is asking him.
The others chuckle as Vince takes a look at Ezra's group as they discuss amongst themselves staring at the three mages standing by the hole.
"They are they planning." he thinks to himself.
"What do you think they're planning?" Sienna asks.
"Probably trying to figure out a way to kill the Guardian Beast" Zyla responds.
Sienna hunches over and looks at the ground "We probably can kill that thing first with Zyla's magic we could try to steal it from them"
"No, we should save her magic" Ezra comments. "If we make any type of movements they'll handle us quick, especially with the son of the Great War Hero."
"Not only him we got that wind mage suspicious of us already" Sienna looks back at Vince glaring at them. "Haaa why do they have to be so sharp in their senses?"
"Hey, Blamore" Ezra calls out leaning on a giant piece of rubble with his arms behind his head.
"What is it?"
"You think you can-"
"Kill the Guardian Beast before they do."
"Haha, you're always correct." Ezra compliments him with a smirk.
"Rest assured our victory has already been decided when we joined the fight," Blamore says with confidence. "Just wait"
"Finally I can be recognized for something," Ezra speaks to himself.
Blamore, Sienna, and Zyla stare at one another with a concerned look.
Bri puts up her palms as a blue magic circle appears in front of it.
Water begins to fall from it. It starts as a simple stream and gradually gushes out like a waterfall, reaching the bottom of the hole.
"Not yet" Bri tells Axelle and Bri.
The water continues to rise.
"Now!"
{ICE CREATION MAGIC: FROSTLANDS}
Roxanne stomps the ground creating an ice path that follows the the trail of water down below.
The three look down at the hole.
"It's frozen! Axelle get it now!" Bri yells.
VRMM
A purple magic circle appears deep within the hole.
"A magic circle?" Axelle says.
"Huh," Bri surprised by it.
"Wait a minute" Roxanne turns around quickly. "Hey!"
Ezra's group stands up.
"You cheating!" Vince stands up as he begins to glow and green hue with the winds being flown around him. He blasts his way to them hoping to catch them.
BOOM
A giant explosion can be heard from underground shaking the nearby area. Stopping and shaking everyone.
Ezra salutes them while Sienna waves them goodbye"Thanks again, you guys. Maybe we'll see each other at the finish."
WHOOSH
The four mages disappear.
"T-they defeated it," Bri says in a stunned voice.
"Tch" Roxanne irritated with her hands crossed and tapping her feet. She immediately begins to look at the layout of the forest. Searching for the possible way to the tree.
"Dammit, those guys played us," Vince says in an irritated voice kicking the nearby rubble his wind knocking up the dirt within the ground creating a little dust storm.
Ambrose walks forward approaching the others "Ahh, this is an unfortunate event. They seemed to have passed an official announcement that will most likely be made shortly"
"We should've kept more eyes on them," Elara says.
"It wouldn't have mattered. It seems they already planned this one out. One of those mages had a unique magic ability. That could place traps that could do a variety of things. I watched them as I was on the side" Sadie says.
Axelle stands there in disbelief lost in his thoughts "Damn that thing was strong and after all my training I still couldn't defeat it. Not only that it was just a copy of the original" Clutching his fists Axelle cannot believe all the work he has done has been for nothing.
"Axelle" Bri puts her hand on his shoulder.
"What" Axelle snaps back looking a Bri. "Am sorry Bri I couldn't defeat it"
"It's fine Axelle you did your best and you got way stronger. We all tried our best thank you for your efforts, everyone. The best option now is to find an exit." Bri says with a smile.
Everyone nods in agreement.
"Well, no time to be standing around" Kate speaks up. She gathers Bri, Sadie, and Elara as they begin to make their way back into the forest.
"Axelle we'll see each other later we'll meet again when this is all done."
"Of course, I'll see you at the end" he responds.
"Thank you again Vince" Sadie waves.
Vince nods and waves with a smile that slowly fades.
"Vince, are you alright?" Ambrose asks.
"Am fine"
The two groups part ways.
"Hmm it seems whenever you are complimented by Sadie your put in-"
"Ambrose am fine. Thanks for your concern" Vince says seriously as he walks away. "Cmon let's find our way out of here"
The two teams separate as they hope to find another way.
"I don't understand why we couldn't stick with them?" Sadie asks Kate.
"You must think of it as who will get there first. If we go as a group there's a chance that one of our groups may not place those top spots." Elara chimes in.
"She's on point," Kate says.
"Let's hope to see them in the top eight," Bri says as she stares at Axelle one last time.
Kate gets up in Bris's face "Aww missing your boyfriend already"
"Kate!"
"You share romantic feelings towards Axelle?" Elara says in a surprised tone.
Sadie looks intrigued.
"Ahhhh" Bri curls up into a ball. "Kate why must you let them know"
"I am sorry Bri you two were best friends when they were kids and she moved away and now they have finally met all these years"
"Aww that's cute"
"Sounds like a romantic novel that I have read before. Maybe I should include this. Uh maybe let's see how it goes" Sadie murmurs to herself.
"Let's hurry to find the finish"
"So Axelle that girl back there was she?"
"A friend. A long-time friend" Axelle responds with speedy delivery.
"You know before Roxanne used her magic here I saw the whole thing. "Friend" It sure didn't look like that," Vince says with a smile.
"She's just a childhood friend that I haven't seen for a long time"
"Childhood huh" Ambrose speaks to himself as he looks over to Roxanne as she is locked in to finish this exam.
---------
Headmasters Quarters Ardian Magic Academy
"They got fooled. Such a unique magic I am intrigued"
"An impressive way to beat a Guardian Beast but also a cheap way. I wouldn't want any of them on my team. I say they're the least impressive team"
"Ouch harsh," Randy says.
"The only team that I would be paying attention to is the other team that defeated a Guardian Beast," Isabel says.
Selene sits as she quietly views Axelle and Bris's team.
"How is your scouting milady?" Justus asks.
"Am getting them no matter what. Something is telling me too"
"Whatever your intuition is telling go for it"
"Thank you, Justus"
"My pleasure Milady"
Meanwhile..
Center of the Aridan Forest Legendary Oak Tree
Dante Reign, Britt, and Kara await the other passing teams.
"Here they come" Dante speaks.